


you only get one shot; do not miss your chance

by UntitledAlsoUnknown



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-17
Updated: 2019-12-29
Packaged: 2021-02-08 03:15:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21469165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UntitledAlsoUnknown/pseuds/UntitledAlsoUnknown
Summary: A slow-growing collection of one-shots. Will always feature Lena and Kara, Supercorp forever and always. Title comes from Melissa "The Dork" Benoist being told she had one shot to get a take on set...and so she began rapping Eminem. Mostly I'll just be finding prompts I like on Tumblr, but if you have an idea, send it to me! I love doing small things to keep me from going stagnant. I'll be seeing you!
Relationships: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor
Comments: 23
Kudos: 108





	1. The Truth Will Set You Free

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The prompt: Kara is exposed to a strange kind of kryptonite and can't lie anymore, right before brunch with Lena.

Kara looked at the alien being ferried away by the DEO. He had singed her palm with his fire breath, and she winced as she opened and closed her left hand. The Parademon had shown no anger, no remorse, no discernible emotion. In fact, when he had gotten close enough, he threw a small rock at Kara and smiled when she caught it. The tall, green alien displayed a terrifying row of sharp teeth for just a moment, then went limp and allowed himself to be arrested. 

“That seemed like a waste of time,” Alex grumbled to Supergirl. 

“It was a complete waste of time. Where did he come from? What did he want?” Kara held the small rock in her unburned palm. It was a light blue, had sharp and jagged edges, and felt heavier than it looked. “I don’t know what this is, but he threw it at me. Here,” Kara dropped it in Alex’s hand and watched her eyebrows shoot up at the unexpected weight, “I don’t want to be here anymore, I have lunch with Lena. Call me if you need me.”

Kara didn’t wait for a response, just leaped into the air and disappeared over a building. Alex looked at the rock, then looked in the direction Kara had flown off in. “Don’t want to be here anymore? What?” She shook her head, assuming Kara had just misspoken. “Get him to the DEO,” Alex shouted, turned the heavy rock over in her gloved hand again and again. 

Kara hurried around the corner of the building and caught a sight that never failed to make her smile: Lena. Lena had a tablet propped up on her left, her cell phone directly in front of her, and her menu shoved off to the side. She jumped from her laptop to her cell phone, typing out a brief response before moving back to her tablet. Kara watched Lena for a moment through the picture window before taking a deep breath and entering the cafe.

“Lena!” She exclaimed, the smile on her face growing larger.

Lena smiled before she’d even looked up fully from her work. “Kara!” Lena hugged Kara tightly. “How are you?”

“I’m great!” Kara held Lena close to her, breathing in the familiar scent of her favorite person. “I am so sorry I’m late.” Kara let go of Lena and they both slid into the booth.

“It’s not a problem. Is everything okay?”

Kara shrugged. “Everything is fine. I just got held up fighting a firebreathing alien.”

Lena looked at Kare for a moment before she laughed a little too loudly for the quiet cafe they were in. “That’s a good one. Was Snapper causing you trouble?”

Kara’s eyes darted side to side. _Why had she said that? _She realized Lena was waiting for an answer, so she cleared her throat. “Snapper actually hasn’t been bothering me lately. I’ve dealt with worse people. I’ve dealt with better people, too.” Kara’s cheeks turned bright red. What was going on with her?

“That’s fair.” The waiter came by to take their order. Neither Kara nor Lena had to look at their menus, ordering their regular midweek lunch date meals. Kara wrinkled her nose at Lena’s green Kale abomination as the waiter left. “What? The salad face again? This one has chicken on it!”

“Lena, when you look like you do, I don’t understand how you feel like you need to eat so much rabbit food.”

Lena blushed and looked down. “Thank you, but have you ever wondered how I look like a do?”

“Every day,” Kara cut in without missing a beat.

Lena smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear. “Well, this is how. Now a real mystery is how you eat so much and look like that.” Don’t say anything, Kara willed herself. Don’t say anything. “Really, Kara, how do you do it?”

Kara held her breath for a moment, before she blurted, “Alien metabolism, you know? I burn through it. My friend Barry is a speedster, and he’s the only person I’ve ever met who can eat as much or as fast as I can.” Kara covered her mouth, but Lena just laughed at her again.

“Fine, keep your secrets. One day though, I’ll know.”

A loud, nervous giggle escaped from Kara. She needed to get out of here. She looked at her phone, face down on the table, and willed it to ring.

“Kara,” Lena reached out and put a gentle hand over Kara’s, “Are you okay?”

Kara inhaled, and the words just came pouring out of her. “No, no I am not. For some reason, I just keep spilling out the truth and I’m hoping Alex will call me and get me out of here because I think the alien that I was just fighting did something bad to me and I don’t know which of my secrets are going to come out to you first and I’m so scared to lose you or have you hate me so please don’t ask me anything else.” 

Lena froze, watching Kara deflate as the words and her breathe left her. She rewound the last couple minutes, trying to make Kara’s rambling make sense. Lena withdrew her hand. “Okay, that was a lot.”

“Lena, I’m so sorry, I have no idea what’s wrong with me.”

The waiter came to set down their food at the table between them. “Will there be anything else?”

“No, thank you,” Lena said calmly. Kara just shook her head, refusing to meet Lena’s eyes. “So, you have to tell the truth right now?”

Kara buried her face in her hands. “Yes.”

“And this is bad.” It wasn’t a question.

“Yes.” 

“Well then, looks like we have to get to the DEO before Supergirl starts pouring her guts out in front of everyone.”

Kara dropped her hands from her face and gaped at Lena. “What? You knew?”

“Of course I knew. My brother spent years friends with, and then obsessed with, Clark Kent. And his cousin is Supergirl, and he knows and works with you sometimes? Please.”

“Oh Rao, that is such a relief. I wanted to tell you but I’m not supposed to tell anyone and it’s been two years and you were so mad at me-”

“Kara.” Lena patted her hand again. “I’m going to call the waiter over and tell him something came up and we need this to go. Can you be quiet for that long?”

“Oh, I hope so.”

“Okay, good. Please do.” Kara managed to keep silent when the waiter returned. He seemed a little frustrated at having to suddenly return and hurry them out, though the tension in his shoulders eased when Lena slipped him a fifty. He happily packed up their food after that, adding mints, an extra appetizer, and coupons to their to-go bag.

Kara took the bag and carried it for them. Lena looped her arm through Kara’s, holding the Kryptonian close as they began the walk to the DEO. “Kara, I do have one question.”

Kara stared at her feet. “What’s that?”

“Would you like to go on a date with me?” Kara looked up quickly, her blue eyes meeting Lena’s. In the early afternoon light, they sparkled a deep emerald. A smile played on Lena’s lips as she waited for Kara’s answer. “An actual, date, I mean.”

“More than anything.” Lena smiled wide, her red lips standing in sharp contrast with her pale skin.

“Good. We’ll make the plans later. First, let’s go save National City’s superhero.”


	2. There’s time to be mad tomorrow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt from: carterkane008 on Tumblr
> 
> Can u write one where lena goes to the wave rider (set post hour 2 of the crisis)Like everyone is worried about kara since she didnt cry or anything after see her planet and the universe gets destroyed then alex and lena teleport into the waverider and when everyone talks to alex about how worried they r about lena. And lena getting angry about how so many people knew kara for years,and alex is like kara is very strong but to everyone's surprise she breaks down in front of lena hugging her.

Kara leaned over the screen, watching it again and again: the disappearance of Argo and her Earth. The same wave of antimatter erased her people every few seconds, and she restarted it when it finished. Her home, her world, what was left of her homeworld, all erased as if they’d never existed. The reverse of the big bang, right before her eyes. Kara swiped the screen and made it begin again. People were speaking behind her, but she paid them no mind. She tried to imagine her mother’s last moments. Had she been scared? Had she been brave? Had she thought about Kara before she had gone? Clark had told her about how Alura told he and Lois to save Jon while they could, but Kara really hoped her mom had a moment to worry about her. Just one. The first tear tried to fall. Kara squared her jaw, ground her teeth, and waited for the moment to pass. She wouldn’t cry. She couldn’t.  
  
“You know,” the Waverider drawled, “watching it doesn’t change it. You might as well stop.” Kara swiped the screen again, and a small crack appeared where she pushed down too hard. “Easy there, Superpower girl. I didn’t mean it.” Kara had had just about enough of Leonard Snart’s Snark™. She stared at the crack in the screen and considered pushing down on it, just out of a need to cause more damage to something, to even let an inanimate object feel a fraction of what she did. Oliver and Barry had known these things were coming for years. Last year, when they met The Monitor, she knew something was coming, but if she had been able to prepare, she would have done something, _anything._ Now almost everyone was gone.  
  
“Hey,” a low voice asked behind her. “Are you okay?”  
  
Kara cleared her throat before she turned. She knew who was there. Kate had abandoned her cowl, knowing it served no purpose in this group of strangers. She trusted Kara, so if they knew Supergirl’s secret identity, Batwoman’s must be safe as well. “I’m fine,” Kara lied. She could see the pity on Kate’s face. Kate Kane, the Dark Knight, the fierce protector of Gotham, pitied Kara. Kara wasn’t used to being pitied, not since she’d sent away Mon-El.  
  
“That sounds like a lie,” Kate said quietly, making sure not to draw attention from those around them. “Trust me, I am the Royal Highness of saying I’m fine when I’m not.”  
  
Kara nodded. She didn’t want to lie to Kate; she didn’t want to tell the truth either. Not right now. “I am no stranger to losing those close to me. There’s work to do, though.”  
  
Kate leaned a little closer to Kara. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but everyone is kind of watching you.” Kara looked over Kate’s shoulder just in time to see Clark looking away. He was the only one who could hear what Kate had said, but she accidentally caught the eyes of Iris, Lois, and Barry. The four of them had been huddled together, talking about Kara. She had been so focused on the screen she hadn’t even heard them.  
  
“Of course, they are,” Kara mumbled. She raised her voice, “I’m fine, okay. Everyone can stop watching me like I might explode!”  
  
Mia folded her arms and smirked at Kara. “Yep, that will convince them.”  
  
Kara heard a portal closing in the hall of the Waverider. “Uh oh,” Leonard Snark mumbled through the speaker system. Everyone’s attention left Kara as they waited to see who was in the hallway.  
  
“Just calm down!” Alex’s voice drifted into the bridge, “Don’t be so angry with us, please!” Kara heard heels clicking closer, along with two racing heartbeats.  
The voice Kara had been hoping to hear entered the room before its owner did. “Where is she? How dare you? I could be helping J’onn. I could be guiding the refugees. How dare you bring me here?” Lena turned sharply into the bridge of the Waverider.  
  
“This looks like trouble,” Leonard gloated.  
  
Lena’s eyes searched the room, landing quickly on Kara by the main computer. She took in Kate, and how close Kate was standing to Kara. “Supergirl,” Lena growled, storming through the groups milling about the bridge. “What is the meaning of this?”  
  
Kate stepped in front of Kara, blocking Lena’s way to her. “I don’t know who you are-“ Kate began, but Lena cut in.  
  
“And I don’t care if you ever find out, Bat Lady.” Lena sneered. “But if you don’t move, you’re about to find out exactly how long I’ve put into combat training.”  
  
Kara put a gentle hand on Kate’s shoulder. “It’s okay, Kate,” she said quietly. Kate stepped to the side, arms crossed angrily over her bat symbol. She growled, “It’s Batwoman, thanks,” but no one but Kara could hear it over Lena’s rage.  
  
“Those people are afraid, Supergirl,” Lena continued, zeroing in on Kara and pushing angrily on the symbol of the House of El. “You don’t get to have your sister fetch me. There is so much to do, and I didn’t help those people just to end up on some fucking ship while you all hide from this crisis. Are you safe here? Is that what this is?” Kara looked at the ground. “I knew you could be cowardly,” Lena raged on, “but taking all your closest Superfriends and hiding them here?” Lena looked at the people she didn’t know. “I’ve got to say, you seem to be missing a few people.” Lena locked eyes with Kara. “There’s more room here, why don’t you grab a few more precious people while the rest of us suffer in fear?”  
  
Sara looked ready to step between Kara and Lena, but Kara raised a hand and shook her head. The motion did not get by Lena. “Oh, I see. You’re in charge of everyone, right? And all of these people know who you are, don’t they Supergirl?” Lena indicated Ray and the Superman that looked just like him. “These two?” Kara nodded, and Lena continued. “Let me guess, them too?” She gestured to Mia, Lyla, and John, who’s eyes were still red after the loss of Oliver. Kara nodded again. “How long did it take you to tell them? Ten minutes? Maybe an hour? Because they’re not Luthor’s, right?”  
  
Alex had had enough. “Lena, too much.”  
  
“Why, Alex? Because you know this is your fault too? Director of the _DEO?”_  
  
“We didn’t bring you here for this,” the Monitor’s heavy voice intoned. “You may be the key to helping the paragons save the universe.  
  
“What?” Lena growled, crossing her arms while she glared at Kara, who had still not said a word.  
  
“The Paragons. The heroes who are our last hope. We need your help to determine who our other paragons are. We have four of them.” The Monitor pointed at each of them in turn. “The Paragon of Truth,” he indicated Earth 96 Superman, “the Paragon of Destiny,” Sara Lance, “the Paragon of Courage, and the Paragon of Hope,” The Monitor finally swept his arm towards Kate and then Kara.  
  
“Big surprise you’re not the Paragon of Truth,” Lena cut in. Kara met Lena’s eyes and didn’t look away.  
  
“I believe that together you and the ATOM can find our last three paragons. Together, with them, we can save the Universe.” The Monitor continued like Lena had never cut in.  
  
Lena took a deep breath and let it out heavily. “Okay.” She still stared down Kara, and Kate made a fist. “I’ll help.”  
  
“I’ll show you where we’re working,” Ray said cheerfully, breaking the tension. Lena finally looked away from Kara and followed Ray to the other side of the bridge computer. He began explaining the algorithm they were working on, and Kara let out a shaky breath.  
  
The rest of the bridge cleared out. Most of the heroes spared a glance at Kara, wondering if they should say something to her. “What was that about?” Kate asked as Alex approached them.  
  
“Nothing,” Kara said, eyes down.  
  
“That is not nothing,” Kate glared at Lena, where she and Ray stood side by side, typing into the panel.  
  
“I hurt her. That’s all.”  
  
“Did you break up with her?” Kate asked.  
  
Alex choked on air. “Break up with her? What? They’re best friends.” Alex thought for a second. “Or they were.” Alex rubbed Kara’s shoulder. She missed the disbelieving look Kate gave her. “Are you okay? I’m sorry. I tried to warn her not to go in on you, but you know Lena.”  
  
“I’m okay. I get why she’s mad.” Kara kept her eyes turned down. “I’m gonna go get something to eat while they work.”  
  
“You want us to come with you?” Kate asked.  
  
“No, I’ll be fine. Let me know when they’re done.” Kara left the room, eager to escape the eyes of everyone who was watching her. She didn’t see Lena look at her either. 

Kara sat in the cargo hold, knees pulled to her chest, her body as small as she could make it. She was tucked between a box and a wall, with only a few inches left for her to move freely. _They’re gone, _she thought to herself. _They’re all gone._ The child Mon-El saved. Her childhood best friend. Her mother, The council. Every Kryptonian in the galaxy except for Clark was gone, and there was no coming back this time. Kara refused to let tears fall, as they tried to fall again. She took a deep, shaky breath. _There’s not time for this now. The multiverse needs me. I am the Paragon of Hope. I have to stay hopeful.  
_  
“Are you hiding from me?”  
  
Kara scrambled to her feet. Lena was leaning in the doorway of the cargo hold. “Not just you,” Kara mumbled.  
  
“So you can speak.”  
  
“You had a lot to say. It seemed better to just wait.”  
  
Lena watched Kara with scrunched up eyebrows. Her eyes flashed dangerously. “But you had nothing to say for yourself, Paragon of Hope?”  
  
Kara slumped, leaning against the box she’d been sitting behind. “I’m not feeling much hope right now.” Lena eyed Kara. Kara could hear Lena’s heart pounding, and she knew the woman was still angry at her. “Lena could you just-“ Kara paused, worried she was about the make things worse, but Lena didn’t interrupt her. “Could we fight more later? I know that you’re mad, and I do understand why, but I can’t do this right now.”  
  
Lena uncrossed her arms and finally really, truly looked at Kara. “We saved as many people as we could, Supergirl.”  
  
Kara nodded, but her eyes started to water anyway. “Not everyone.”  
  
“We can’t save everyone. Believe me, I’ve tried.” Lena’s eyes flashed a bright green as she thought of Hope, locked away somewhere. Lena realized her plan was foolish, considering that a bigger threat was upon them.  
  
“We couldn’t save Krypton.”  
  
Lena tilted her head. “Krypton has been-“ it finally hit Lena. Krypton might be gone, but not all of it was. “Argo?” Kara nodded. “Oh no, what about your-“  
  
“They’re all gone.” A single tear rolled down Kara’s cheek. “My mom is gone. Everyone is gone.”  
  
“Oh, Kara,” Lena said quietly. She realized it was the first time she had called Kara by her name since the Crisis had begun. Kara swayed and Lena stepped closer to her, throwing her arms around the hero’s waist. Kara put her arms around Lena’s shoulders and let the smaller woman support her wait.  
  
“We’re all that’s left, Clark and I.” The tears fell freely onto Lena’s shirt. Kara burrowed further into Lena’s neck.  
  
“Oh sweetie,” Lena said softly, rubbing Kara’s back under her cape. Lena turned her head, just a bit, and gave Kara the softest kiss on her tear-stained cheek. “I am so sorry.”  
  
Kara froze under Lena’s attention, and she pulled back just a bit. “You don’t have to be here, you don’t have to do this. You’re angry at me, and I understand why.”  
  
“Shhhh,” Lena murmured, as she pulled the woman back into her arms. “There’s time to be mad at you tomorrow, as long as we all live that long. But right now, I’ve got you.”  
  
Kara gripped Lena tighter, and finally cried freely, allowing herself to mourn those she had lost. For the first time since the crisis had begun, she truly felt like the Paragon of Hope. They could do this, all of them.


	3. There's time to be gay today

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As requested by darkmoonmyths on Tumblr:   
I would give you my first born child if that is what it took for you to write a continuation of this focused around Alex, Kate, and Sarah reacting to this scene as they spy on them. Between Sara The Sarcastic Bisexual™️ Lance, Kate The Lesbian Queen™️ Kane, and Alex The Oblivious™️ Danvers, the dialogue would be glorious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here is the continuation of last one-shot! So a two-shot?

“I have to go find Kara,” Alex said quietly. She turned to walk away, but Sara Lance caught her jacket and pulled her back. 

“You don’t even know this ship. Give me a second.” Sara looked up. “Snart, where is Kara?”

Leonard’s voice filled the bridge. “Our most attractive Kryptonian is in the cargo bay with the sassy Luthor. They seem to be having a moment. Would you like me to bring them up on camera?”

Kate, Sara, and Alex exchanged looks. Kate spoke first. “We shouldn’t, that seems like an invasion of privacy.” 

“I just want to make sure she’s okay,” Alex insisted. “We’ll turn it off if they’re all right. What if Lena tries to kill her?”

“I feel like that’s unlikely,” Sara mumbled, but she gave in anyways. “Bring them up on the small monitor, please.” She had a feeling that whatever Lena and Kara were talking about, they wouldn’t want it broadcast on the large monitor in the bridge’s library, where everyone would see and hear them. Clark, Lois, and other Superman were in there anyways, talking strategy. “If they’re doing it, I’ll bleach your eyes for you, Alex.”

“As you wish.” The screens still showed the end of Earth – 38 disappearing. They went black for a moment, and the depressing visual was replaced with Kara standing in the cargo bay, her hand on a box as she leaned against it. The camera was in the corner of the bay, pointing directly at Kara’s left side. She and Lena looked framed opposite each other. The angle couldn’t have been better if they’d staged it themselves. 

“Should we be doing this?” Kate asked quietly as they all watched the screen. No one answered her. _‘Lena, could you just-‘ _“Lena isn’t very nice, is she?” 

“She has her moments,” Alex responded. “Lately she’s been trying to control the world. I almost killed her last week.”

“Alex!” Sara slapped Alex’s shoulder. “It should be illegal to kill someone with that bone structure.”

“She was trying to take over people’s minds!” Alex yelled indignantly. “And don’t you have a girlfriend or something?”

“Sh! What are they saying?” The three of them leaned closer and watched with rapt attention. Lena stepped closer to Kara, _‘Oh no, what about your-‘_

_‘They’re all gone. My mom is gone. Everyone is gone.’ _Alex inhaled, her sister’s pain too tangible, even from this distance. 

“Oh, they’re definitely gonna kiss,” Kate mumbled. 

Lena put her arms around Kara’s middle, pulling the Super into her embrace. They watched Kara hold on to Lena for dear life. “Oh, sweetie,” Alex said at the same moment Lena did.

“Jinx,” Sara said, “you owe Lena a Coke.” 

Lena turned her head further from the camera, angling in towards Kara’s cheek. Kate pointed in excitement. “See! Told you they were gonna kiss. Get it Kara.”

“Dude, stop. That’s my sister. They didn’t kiss. They’re not like that.” No one answered. “Look, I would know if those two were gay!”

Sara and Kate exchanged a look. “I’m pretty sure Lena just kissed her,” Sara insisted. “That looked like a cheek kiss.” They couldn’t hear what Kara and Lena were saying anymore, but Kara cried even harder. Sara put a gentle hand on Alex’s shoulders. “She’ll be okay.” Alex sighed heavily, nodding in agreement.

“But,” Sara continued quietly, “That is the gayest thing I’ve ever seen,” she got quieter like somehow Lena and Kara would hear her through the screen, “and I’ve seen you naked.”

Alex sputtered and turned bright red. Kate looked between the two women. She pointed between Alex and Sara and raised her eyebrows. “You two?”

“It was one time!” Alex yelled too loudly. “And Kara isn’t gay!”

“Kara is probably gay,” Kate said with a shrug.

“Kara is definitely at least a little gay,” Sara affirmed. 

The three women looked down at the screen again. A hairline crack ran through it, splitting the image of Kara and Lena into two. “But like, Mon-El, Winn, James?”

“Irrelevant,” Kate said.

“Don’t you dare tell me you are into bi erasure,” Sara groaned.

“What, no, never! It’s just, Kara knows I’m gay, so why wouldn’t she tell me that she is?”

Kate snorted and watched Alex, incredulous. “I’ve met the girl. I think it’s safe to say she doesn’t even know yet.”

Alex covered her face. “Oh my god, you two don’t even know them. Lena has never given any indication she’s into women. I mean, not to repeat this same shit, but she’s been with a few guys I know too. She dated James!”

“James? The same James Kara dated?” Kate groaned. “Is she pretending she hasn’t got the gay?”

“The bi,” Sara corrected. “They dated the same guy? How did that go?”

“Actually, not well for either of them.” Alex paused. “Kara didn’t really even date him.” She thought again. “And he sort of got in the way of Kara and Lena’s friendship.”

“Did he?” Kate smirked. “That doesn’t sound gay-” Sara cleared her throat and Kate amended, “-bi at all. Please, tell me more straight things about the two of them.”

“Absolutely not. You two are infuriating. I’m just going to go talk to them.” Alex turned to leave, and Kate took a flying leap at her. Alex, anticipating the move, ducked. Kate rolled over Alex’s back and rolled on the ground, blocking the door to the bridge. Sara ran forward and swept a leg under Alex, knocking her feet from under her while she was still focused on Kate. Alex hit the ground. She laid there for a minute, looking at the two women who were towering over her. “Ow.”

“Do not get in the way of gay love.” Sara said while Kate crossed her arms.

“Or Bi love,” Kate corrected, nodding.

Ray, who had been in the corner of the bridge, watching the algorithm running and ignoring the women, yelped in surprise. “It worked! We’ve got the other paragons locations.” He looked at Alex on the floor. “Oh, did you fall?” Alex hopped up and growled at him. “Oh, okay. Where’s Lena?”

Lyla and The Monitor appeared with no warning. “You have found the paragons?”

“We have. Lena was able to fix the code so the computer could do its work.” Ray’s eyes dropped to the computer where the women had been watching Kara and Lena. “Oh, oh.” His voice got louder. “Oh no!! How do we turn this off?”

Everyone gathered around the screen just in time to see Lena grab Kara by the shoulders, push her back into the wall of the cargo bay, and deepen the kiss they had begun in the last few seconds.   
Alex covered her face. “Make it stop, I can’t!” 

Sara pulled Alex’s hands down. “Look at the bi! Celebrate it!”

Kate watched the two with a wry smile. “We told you.”

Leonard Snart’s calm voice joined them in the room. “Oh, this is sweet and beautiful. I believe the ladies deserve their own privacy, so boop!” The screen went dark, and The Monitor watched the room closely.

“I feel as if you aren’t taking this seriously enough.” The weird undertone in his voice made his words even more ominous. “The fate of the free world is at stake.”

They all stood at attention, soldiers called to war. Kate and Sara quietly reached behind Alex, bumping fists as the monitor began to talk. “I hate you guys,” Alex said quietly. 

“You hate us _gays,”_ Sara smirked, earning one more fist bump behind Alex’s back.


	4. Accidental Engagement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> From shehadtodoittoem on tumblr: Lena makes Kara a ring with anti-kryptonite technology. It works great and it’s really small so no one suspects a thing.
> 
> But of course someone photographed Lena giving the ring to Kara and now everyone thinks they’re engaged so they just have to pretend to be, those are the rules.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone take away my Tumblr, please.

Lena opened the door to Noonan’s, excited to see Kara. She played with the box in her pocket. Kara was going to love it. Lena had spent weeks working with the hologram replication of Brainy’s Legion ring. That ring was amazing. Future technology packed into the ring allowed Brainy to fly, protected his mind, and shielded him from a number of other attacks. She had known that she could make a similar ring for Kara. It had taken her almost six months to get it her shield technology packed into the tiny ring, but she had done it. Lena saw Kara waiting at their table at Noonan’s.  
The super looked up as soon as Lena put her hand on the door. She knew Kara could hear her approaching. It was probably the heels. Lena considered working on new sound dampening technology to see if Kara’s ears could defeat her inventions. She’d consider it later.  
  
“Lena, hi!” Kara popped up out of the booth and threw her arms around Lena. “How are you?”  
  
Kara let go and looked at Lena, waiting for her answer. “I’m doing great. I’m super excited.”  
  
“About what? Your heart is beating like crazy!”  
  
Lena filed that information away. She could silence her heels, but she couldn’t silence her heart. “Sit down, sit down.” Lena slid into the booth and looked out the window. The sun was shining over National City. Lena could see cars speeding by through the picture window. Kara slide across from her and waited. She shook her knee under the table and stared at Lena. Lena smiled, ignoring Kara’s impatience. “Lena!”  
  
Lena looked at Kara just as the waiter appeared. “Hello ladies, welcome to Noonan’s..” He trailed off as he looked at them, then began again. “Lena, Kara, hey!” Kara beamed at being recognized. “Do you know what you’d like?”  
  
Kara’s smile got wider, if that was at all possible. She started listing off the majority of the Noonan’s menu, and Lena smiled at her while she waited. Kara looked at Lena and took a guess at what Lena would like. She was right. She was always right. Lena nodded at the waiter as he checked with her. He took the menus he’d set on the table with him, leaving them alone. Lena smiled when he left. “You’re getting good at that.”  
  
“Well, I just think of what the healthiest item on the menu is, and if I would like it. If the answer to the first question is yes and the second is no, then I know it’s for you.”  
  
Lena reached across the table and patted Kara’s hand. “You’re sweet.”  
  
“Oh, I know.” Kara did a quick little bounce in her seat. “So what do you have to tell me?”  
  
“It’s not so much something to tell as it is something to give.”  
  
“Gifts? What is it?” Kara clapped, and Lena thought her cheeks would crack from smiling. She always felt like this with Kara around, and she felt like her heart might explode.  
  
“Are you ready?”  
  
Kara leaned closer to the table. “Lena, if you don’t tell me right now, I’m going to xray you and find out what you’re hiding.”  
  
Lena’s cheeks turned bright red. “You could do that, and for the love of god please do not, but I have protected your gift with lead because I didn’t want you to see it on accident or on purpose.”  
Kara’s cheeks heated up. “Okay, give me the gift!”  
  
Lena stood up by the side of the table to grab her coat. The ring box was tucked into her pocket, and she regretted having hung it on the booth. Lena took the small box and tried to hide it in her hand. The box was nothing special to Lena, but the last ring she’d bought had come in it. The box was probably worth a grand alone, but she was likely going to recycle it, so why not put Kara’s gift in it? The dark oaken box felt heavy in her hand. Lena set it on the table and looked at Kara.  
  
“Leeeena, what is it?”  
  
“This?” Lena left the box on the table and stared at it. “It’s a box.”  
  
“What’s in the box?”  
  
“Okay, I got you something. Well, I didn’t get you something, I made you something.” Lena took a deep breath. “I’ve spent time with Brainy, and I was fascinated with his Legion ring and all it can do. So, I made you one.” Lena opened the box, turned it to face Kara, and slid it closer to her.  
  
“Lena, it’s beautiful!” Kara didn’t touch it, like she was afraid.  
  
“It’s made of Nth metal, so it’s almost indestructible. You could break it if you wanted, but don’t break it.” Lena took the delicate golden ring and held it up. “I didn’t want it to be too conspicuous, but I did want to make it special for you.”  
  
Kara looked up from the ring and beamed at Lena. “Lena, I don’t understand.”  
  
Lena leaned in and whispered, “It’s a kryptonite shield. It will stop the effects of green and red kryptonite!”  
  
Kara’s eyes lit up and she squealed. “Lena, no way!”  
  
“Way!” Lena held the ring delicately. “Brainy’s helps him fly, but you can already fly, so I figured this was the next best thing.” Lena looked back up at Kara. “Try it on?”  
  
“Yes! Please, do me the honors.” Kara reached towards Kara with her left hand, and Lena slid the ring onto Kara’s ring finger.  
  
“Does it fit?”  
  
“Perfectly!” Kara looked down at the ring and looked back at Lena, her eyes welling with tears. “You engraved it?”  
  
“I did. It says-“  
  
“El Mayarah in Kryptonian. Lena, I-“ Kara wiped away a tear. “I’m so-“ She choked up and simply stood up, arms open.  
  
Lena slid back out of the booth and stepped into Kara’s waiting arms. “It’s just to help keep you safe. It makes so much more sense for you to wear a small shield rather than the huge one on your suit.”  
  
“Thank you so much. I can’t say thank you enough.”  
  
The waited cleared his throat as he showed up with their food. The women stepped back, giving him room and getting to their meals.

  


Lena sat in her office the next day, smiling as she checked her emails. Jess came in, read off a few notes, and at the end of her, “Good morning” spiel sad, “So, did you see the National City paper today?”  
  
Lena didn’t look up. “Which one?”  
  
“All of them?” Jess unceremoniously dropped four different papers on Lena’s desk. They were all turned to the society page, except for the National City Enquirer, which had a picture of Lena and Kara hugging on the front page under the loud headline ‘LUTHOR PROPOSES TO DANVERS; DANVERS ACCEPTS!’  
  
All the air whooshed out of Lena’s lungs. “Oh.” She tried to breathe, but the air didn’t come. “Oh, no.”  
  
“Is this not good news?” Jess looked confused.  
  
“No, it’s great news. Jess, I have to make a call.”  
  
“Of course, Miss Luthor.” Jess left the room.  
  
Lena waited for the door to click closed and picked up her phone. It rang before she could dial Kara. “Hello?”  
“So, we’re getting married!” Kara’s voice was sunshine on the other end of the line. “I wish you’d told me, I would have looked more surprised in the photos.”  
  
“Kara-“  
  
“So, how are we going to play this? You want me to break up with you and be the bad guy?” Kara laughed. “Press release correcting the story?”  
  
Lena’s mouth opened without her permission. “What if we just go with it?”

  



	5. Accidental Engagement Continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A continuation of the previous chapter! Some Tumblr peeps demanded I keep going!

“What do you mean?” Kara asked quietly. “Just go with it?”  
  
“Well, I’m just thinking,” Lena paused, and Kara waited. “What are we supposed to say? ‘Hey, my best friend is a superhero and I made something to protect her, you saw us, and now I want to ruin her secret identity.” Lena tapped her fingers on the desk, trying to think her way through this. How did she do this without it turning into a scandal?  
  
“Oh, Rao, you’re right.” Kara laughed. “I’m not really trying to give out my identity.”  
  
“Exactly.” Lena sighed. “I’m sorry this happened. I mean, we could just say it was all a mistake, maybe? Just tell people they’re idiots?” Lena paused. “If we did that, they would just think we’re lying and watch us closely anyways.” Lena sighed again, heavier this time. _Why didn’t you just give it to her in private?_  
  
Kara cut into Lena’s thoughts. “So, what do you think is best then? You want to pretend to be the future Mrs. Kara Danvers?”  
  
“Excuse me, who says you’re not going to be the future Mrs. Lena Luthor?” Lena’s smile could be heard through the phone.  
  
Kara pretended to think. “Hmm, that doesn’t sound so bad. Mrs. Kara Luthor.” Kara paused. “Maybe Kara Danvers-Luthor. That’s it! We would definitely hyphenate.”  
  
Lena gasped in mock surprise with a hand pressed to her chest. “Well, I never. You refuse to take my name outright?”  
  
Kara clicked her tongue. “I could be convinced to take your name, with some reservations.”  
  
Lena spun in her chair and faced the National City skyline. She could see the Catco building from here and could imagine Kara spinning around to look out the window of the newsroom floor. There were people talking in the background as the news day moved on around their private conversation. “If I was trying to make my name the only name you took, what would be those reservations?”  
  
Kara covered the phone, and Lena could hear Kara speaking to someone. The phone was uncovered and the newsroom noise came back in. “I’ll think about it and get back to you.” Kara’s smile was so loud Lena could imagine it. “Snapper is summoning us all.” Kara gasped. “What do I do if he asks why I didn’t tell him?”  
  
Lena’s laugh bounced off the walls of her empty office. “Tell him it’s none of his damn business.”  
  
“Oh, he’s glaring at me. I gotta go! Bye!” The phone went dead before Lena could respond. She smiled at it before she sat it down. She tapped her screen once and her wallpaper lit up. It was a picture of her and Kara. Kara had the camera at arm’s length, while Lena planted a kiss on Kara’s cheek. A smile split Kara’s face wide. Lena supposed she and Kara should talk a bit more later, before this got further than the social page of the papers. L Corp should make a press release.

Kara’s smile resembled the photo on Lena’s phone. She was _engaged. _ Well, sort of. Not at all. But it looked like it to the outside world. She should warn her sister before news breaks.  
  
“Ponytail!” Echoed across the newsroom. Everyone got quiet and Kara slipped her phone into her pants. Snapper sounded angrier than usual. “Get in here _now!”_  
  
Snapper usually existed in the corner of the news floor. He had a very messy desk where he threw together the news on a big white desk. Everyone knew not to touch that area because it was for Snapper and Snapper alone. He had an office he never used. There was a phone in there, a computer, and it had blinds that were always drawn and a door that could be closed. He had these things, but he never chose to use them. Now, however, he was standing in the doorway, staring at Kara and waiting for her response. “Coming!”  
  
Kara hurried across the still quiet floor, making her way around her coworkers, behind chairs, and over perilously tilted stacks of paper. Kara squeezed by Snapper into his office, and he shut the door behind them. She braced herself for the slam, knowing the sound would hurt her superhearing. Snapper shut it carefully. “Sit,” he said tersely, making his way around the desk to sit in his own highbacked chair. Kara took the stiff plastic chair and waited patiently. She tried not to fidget while Snapper stared her down. “Nice ring, ponytail.”  
  
Kara looked down at the ring gleaming in the light coming in through Snapper’s windows. She smiled at it. “Thank you, boss.”  
  
“So, I’m thinking, CatCo Magazine gets a front page interview of the hottest new couple in National City.”  
  
Kara nodded along. This wasn’t what she expected. “Okay…” Snapper didn’t continue. “Who is it?”  
  
Snapper snapped his fingers in front of Kara three times. “You, ponytail, keep up. You and the little Luthor.” Kara’s jaw dropped. “Now, I know you’re surprised I’m not furious.” Kara closed her mouth quickly, then nodded. “But it would be unreasonable for me to angry about you keeping your relationship to yourself.” He steepled his hands in front of him as he leaned back in his chair. “My boyfriend is still angry that I’m not out at the office.” Kara kept nodding, feeling a bit like a bobblehead. Snapper waved one hand. “Then, of course, I couldn’t expect the scoop on you getting engaged, because of course those things are a surprise. So, instead, we’re going to get your first couple interview. Deal?”  
  
Kara nodded again. So much had happened, but she found her voice. “Of course, yeah. I’m sure Lena wouldn’t mind.”  
  
“Good, we’ll set it up. I just have to figure out who will do the interview, because usually I would have chosen you.” He stood up. “It’s fine, I’ll figure it out. It has to be by end of day tomorrow to make next issue though.” Kara mirrored Snapper, standing up. He reached out a hand. Kara stared at it a beat too long before she realized that Snapper intended to shake Kara’s hand. She put her hand into his warm, rough palm. He gripped her hand roughly, then shook it once, twice, three times. “Congratulations, you landed a good one.”  
  
“Thank you, boss, really.”  
  
Snapper dropped her hand. “Good. Now get out.” Kara spun on her heel approached the door in a daze. Her hand hit the knob and Snapper stopped her. “Ponytail, wait.” Kara turned back. Snapper’s cheeks were slightly pink. He rubbed his hand across his neck and looked anywhere but at Kara, then sighed. “I see why you were always so quick to defend Luthor. You clearly knew her better than I did. Sorry.”  
  
“It’s not a problem.”  
  
“If you ever tell anyone I apologized, you’re fired. Now, get out of my office. Leave the door open.”  
  
Kara wrenched the door open, her anxiety on her face. A few people looked at her with pity, like they thought she had just been fired. _Shoot. Crap. Rao. What do I do now? _Kara would never admit it, but she hadn’t thought Snapper had a kind side, and now he’d exposed a whole sensitive part of himself to her. He had a boyfriend. He had also given her a few compliments. He might have just said more kind things to her in that conversation than he had in two years working with him.  
  
Kara picked her way through the news floor, back to her office. She shut the door behind her and looked at her phone. It had suddenly started buzzing. She looked at the front screen and let out a harsh, ragged breath. Alex.  
  
The first message from her sister was a photo of Lena putting a ring on Kara’s finger. Kara examined the picture and understood exactly why photographers had thought she and Lena were getting engaged. Kara had put a hand over her heart and looked extremely surprised. Lena could be seen smiling from the side. The second text was another photo, clearly from a gossip magazine. The headline splashed across the image said, “Last Luthor heir snags sexy reporter?” Kara’s cheeks burned. This image was from a different angle. This one was clearly from across the street, but was zoomed in enough that Lena’s dimple could be seen as she and Kara hugged. _How many photographers follow Lena? Are they always like this?_ Kara had been on gossip magazines with Lena before, but nothing like this.  
  
Kara’s phone kept buzzing. Alex sent her several messages, each of them only one word.  
  
_What. The. Hell. Is. This._ The next message was in all capital letters. _WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME. I KNEW THERE WAS SOMETHING BETWEEN YOU TWO. HOW LONG?_  
  
Kara watched the phone continue lighting up. What did Alex mean ‘she knew there was something between them?’ More texts came through, and she silenced her phone and set it on her table. It didn’t buzz anymore, but it kept lighting up.  
  
Kara stared at the phone for another few moments. Alex wasn’t the only one texting her. Nia demanded to know where she was. Brainy sent his congratulations and asked if secret relationships were standard for this time period. More messages came through, and Kara picked up her phone. She called Lena, and anxiously waited for the voice she needed to hear.  
  
Lena’s smooth, sultry voice came over the line. “Long time no talk, what did Snapper have to say?”  
  
“Can we do lunch?” Kara asked with no preamble. She needed to get out of the office now.  
  
“Yeah, I can do lunch at one. Are you okay?”  
  
“No, I mean right now.”  
  
“Right now?” Lena chuckled. “Kara, it’s 10:30 in the morning.”  
  
“I know. Can we?”  
  
“Yeah, of course. I don’t have any meetings. Do you want to meet somewhere?”  
  
“No, I’m gonna fly. I’ll be there soon.” Kara was ready to hang up, but Lena cut in.  
  
“Kara, are you okay?”  
  
“I don’t know, I’ll be there soon.”

Kara flew to the alley near LCorp. She had wanted to fly right to Lena’s balcony, but she couldn’t take the chance of Jess seeing her there and not knowing how she had appeared. Kara carefully shook out the flowers she had gotten on the way, two half dozens of random wildflowers she thought were pretty. She blew through security, sending a quick, “Hello” and a wave to Frank behind the desk. She tapped her foot and wondered if she should have just flown up the elevator shaft, but that seemed a bit excessive. The elevator doors opened, and Kara walked as slowly as she could down the hall.  
  
“Ms. Danvers! Congratulations!” Jess called when she saw Kara approaching her.  
  
“Jess, I’ve told you, just call me Kara.”  
  
“Of course, Ms. Danvers.”  
  
Kara eyed Jess, arms folded across her chest, careful not to crush the flowers. Jess folded her arms as well, staring Kara down with a smirk on her face. “You’re not gonna stop, are you?”  
  
“I have no intention to. Ms. Luthor is in her office, go on in.”  
  
Kara tried to glare at Jess, but Jess just laughed. Kara handed Jess one of the bouquets. “These are for you.”  
  
“Thank goodness. The ones on my desk are looking old.” Kara finally cracked, laughing with Jess. She had brought the assistant a half dozen wildflowers last week, and they still looked lively. Kara offered Jess a kind of mixture between a salute and a wave, then headed for Lena’s door. Jess called out, “Ms. Luthor is a lucky woman, indeed!”  
  
Kara blushed as she made her way into the office. Lena hurried around her desk and threw her arms around Kara. “Are you okay? You sounded stressed on the phone.”  
  
“Oh, I’m stressed,” Kara hugged Lena back tightly. “These are for you, by the way.” Lena took the flowers and set them on the desk. “Now, I don’t know what we’re gonna do here.”  
  
“I know,” Lena agreed. She caught Kara by the elbow and gestured her to the couch. “I’ve drafted two press releases.” Lena handed Kara a tablet off her coffee table, and they sat side by side, touching from thighs down.  
  
Kara furrowed her eyebrows as she looked at the first press release. It clearly indicated that a mistake had been made, and Kara and Lena were not a couple, much less engaged. “Okay,” Kara said, nodding, “And the second one?”  
  
Lena swiped. “The second one thanks everyone for their congratulations and says we were going to have a celebratory party if you accepted, which of course I didn’t know if you were.” Lena looks at Kara, gauging her reaction. “I know I said we should ride this out, but I thought about how crazy that would be, and what’s the end game? So we can get out of this if we need to.” Lena looked at Kara, really looked at her. “That’s why you’re here, right? It’s a bad idea and we need out?”  
  
Kara wasn’t sure why, but Lena looked almost crushed by the idea. She put a hand on Lena’s knee. “No, that’s not why I’m here.” As Kara said it, she realized that was the truth. She wasn’t here to call it off. She needed some guidance, of course, but she wasn’t here to call it off. “I’m not here to call it off, I’m here to make sure we do this right. You can’t tell anyone, but Snapper came out to me.” Lena leaned back, surprised. “He wants to interview us. He’s not comfortable out at work, but like, he told me.”  
  
Lena leaned back and put her elbow on the couch. She ran a hand through her hair. “So, what if we throw a party, and we make it all about the National City LGBT community? It will be our coming-out party, and we’ll invite everyone else to ‘come out’ and celebrate with us!” Lena took the tablet and started searching through the internet. “It can be a donation only event, and all proceeds will go to charities in the City.”  
  
Kara watched Lena. Affection bloomed in her chest. Nothing could deter Lena. “That sounds amazing, but,” guilt snuck up on Kara.”I’m not gay. You’re not gay. Isn’t that kind of disrespectful?”  
  
Lena laughed. She looked at Kara’s face. “Oh, you’re serious?” Kara’s expression didn’t change. “Kara, I’m gay. Well, I’m bi.” She searched Kara’s face, looking for a joke. “You had no idea? Sam, Veronica Sinclair? They’re my exes.”  
  
“Wow. No, I had no idea.”  
  
Lena took Kara’s hand. “Kara, sweetie, why do you think the gossip columns were so quick to call us engaged?”  
  
Kara thought about it, then shrugged. “Thought they were doing lazy reporting.”  
  
Lena put both hands over her mouth, trying not to laugh outrightly at Kara again. “You are so sweet, and I love you for it. Do you still want to go through with this?”  
  
“Absolutely.” Kara took Lena’s hand again. “Let’s do it.” A beat passed, then, “And I still haven’t decided what it would take for me to take your name, so as of right now, I’m not.” Kara pointed at Lena. “And you had better not tell people that I am.”  
  
“I wouldn’t dream of it.”  
  
“Good!” Kara pulled out her phone and showed it to Lena. “Now, what do we tell our friends?”


End file.
